We sometimes have an erroneous perception of our sleep.
“Ohlala, I haven’t slept a wink all night!” Sometimes, some people get up with the certainty of having spent hours completely awake, or even of not having slept all night. But if we take a serious look at this situation, the reality is often more complex: it is even very likely that sleep phases have indeed taken place. Scientists have even identified what is actually a phase shift in perception but also in the quality of sleep: this is called iparadoxical insomnia.
I’The American Academy of Sleep (AASM) also indicates that those affected believe that they stayed awake for most of the night despite sleeping for a totally close to normal duration. The researchers also established that the people concerned suffered from insufficient sleep despite objectively sufficient periods of sleep. Paradoxical insomnia can also cause sleep problems over time due to the distress caused by the perceived lack of sleep. And as insomniacs know, the lack of recovery at night can affect daily life: putting words on this phenomenon is a great first step.
How to escape paradoxical insomnia?
Paradoxical insomnia has unknown causes, despite studies. The most recent highlight links between specific personality traits and differences in the neural structure of sleep. As explained by Sleep Foundationit can be associated with other disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, depressive manifestations and sometimes digestive dysfunctions.
The solution is usually found through a sleep study or through actigraphy: a form of sleep analysis that involves wearing a wristwatch at home. Paradoxical insomnia also appears to increase stress levels to a similar degree as objective insomnia. People who think they are suffering from paradoxical insomnia should therefore talk about it with a specialist and not let themselves be overwhelmed by this deterioration in sleep. It is also recommended to take care to eliminate the causes of stress and to punctuate your week with moments of relaxation or meditation.